Duke's Mayo Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest
There is a reason fans circle the Duke's Mayo Bowl on the postseason calendar every year. Since 2002, Charlotte’s showcase has grown from a regional matchup into a nationally watched event, pairing an Atlantic Coast Conference program with a Big Ten or Southeastern Conference opponent and wrapping it all in uptown skyline views and a famously quirky mayo bath for the winning coach. The Duke's Mayo Bowl blends serious football with playful traditions, from fan tailgates around Bank of America Stadium to postgame celebrations that live on in highlight reels. Lock in your Duke's Mayo Bowl tickets through Event Tickets Center and make Charlotte part of your bowl season plans.
The 2026 Duke's Mayo Bowl is set to write a fresh chapter in Queen City bowl history. On January 2, 2026, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons bring an 8-4 record out of the Atlantic Coast Conference to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who arrive from the Southeastern Conference at 5-7 after earning a spot in the bowl lineup when other schools opted out of postseason play. It will be the 24th edition of the game, continuing the long-running ACC vs. SEC flavor that has defined many recent Duke’s Mayo Bowls and giving both fan bases a neutral-site stage to close the 2025 season.
If you are wondering when is the Duke's Mayo Bowl this season, the 2026 game is scheduled for Friday, January 2, with kickoff at 8 p.m. Eastern. Bowl week in Charlotte typically features a series of fan events, team pep rallies, and extensive pregame tailgating around uptown, culminating in the evening kickoff as the finale of a full day in the city. Game-day timelines can shift slightly from year to year, so once you have your tickets in hand, keep an eye on updated event information to ensure you arrive on time and settle into your seats before the opening kickoff.
Bank Of America Stadium is the Duke's Mayo Bowl location, an open-air, football-specific venue in uptown Charlotte that seats more than 75,000 fans and also serves as home to the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC. Its bowl-shaped design keeps you close to the field, with lower-bowl sideline sections putting you near the benches and upper-level corners delivering sweeping views of the action framed by the city skyline. Before you buy, use a Bank of America Stadium seating chart to compare angles, levels, and amenities, from standard reserved seats to club sections that offer extra comfort, and choose the view that suits your preferences for watching a postseason game.
The Duke's Mayo Bowl combines meaningful football with a sense of fun you do not get anywhere else, from the Atlantic Coast vs. Southeastern Conference matchup to the now-classic mayo dump that sends the winning coach into bowl lore. Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium adds downtown energy, easy walkability, and a big-game atmosphere that rewards fans who make the trip. If you are ready to turn the 2026 college football postseason into a road adventure, grab your Duke's Mayo Bowl tickets at Event Tickets Center today and be there when the teams take the field under the Charlotte lights.